One bullet can make a man a hero… or a casualty.

Mechanized Cavalry

To honor their Confederate ancestors, seven motorcycle enthusiasts from Maryland began the Mechanized Cavalry in 1986. Since then, the group has grown to a membership of around 1,500. Each year, the cavalry rides out to see different historical locations relevant to the War Between the States.

This year, 200 members of the group traveled to Peducah, Kentucky on June 11. The cavalry was welcomed by locals, and was ushered in with a police escort. The group visited the Lloyd Tilghman House/Civil War Museum to the amusement of onlookers. Whitey Whitt, one of the original founders of the group, said, “We get love everywhere we go. When we’re out riding, just about every person we see waves and smiles.”

The cavalry donated $2,000 to the museum, obtaining the money by holding a drawing for a custom-made hunting knife. All are members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. According to Whitt, “We really like riding bikes and we really like Civil War history.” Next year, the group plans to travel to Georgia. For more information, visit www.scv.org.